I Give You a Kiss

We have tried very hard to not raise clingy, needy children.  To see my son be self-reliant at only two-and-a-half make me proud, not upset that he doesn't need his mother.  But that can come with a price. 

Both children like to meet other people.  They like to play with other children.  They are most pleased going into a new location and exploring the new things they find there.  And that means they mostly run off and go have a good time without you. 

Certainly when they're hurt or upset or tired they come to you and want to be near you; but my children don't hide behind my legs and peek out at the newcomer and they certainly don't want to be hugged any longer than necessary to get over their most recent bodily injury. 

So hugs are short and kisses are a matter of novelty, not a requirement for their comfort or knowledge that we love them.  But we do hug them and kiss them and I do tell my son that he's, "my best boy" and my daughter that she's, "my best girl."

They don't sleep in our bed.  They never have and even when they've been sick and in need of comfort, their bed is where they find that comfort and where they want to be.  Just try to get a two-year-old to settle down in your bed when he's never slept there before and you'll see what I mean.

Tonight, we were at my favorite sushi restaurant and my son made me giggle.   There is a big fish tank there and, of course, they have fish of the same species as those from the movie, Finding Nemo.  My son loves to ask where the fish are and point them out and name them and talk to them and...apparently kiss them.

On several occasions tonight he would go back over to the fish tank during the meal, talk to one of the fish and then say, "I give you a kiss" and kiss the fish tank repeatedly.  The lady at the front desk and I just stood behind him trying not to laugh out loud because it was so very sweet and cute. 

Now if only I can get him to want to give me a kiss sometime too.

The Big Boy Update:  "Walk away pants!"  This phrase, "walk away," is something they use in his class at school.  It is suppose to be a polite way to tell your friend this is your work and they need to find some other work to do and respect your space.  My son has extrapolated this phrase to mean he's mad or upset or maybe now that I think about it, it might be his version of a swear phrase.  This afternoon he was having trouble getting his pants off to go potty.  When he finally got them off, he kicked them across the room and yelled very loudly at them, "walk away pants!"

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  Dip-a-dip-a-dip.  My daughter has entered into the age of dipping.  My son was interested in dipping anything into anything far earlier, but she wasn't in so much of hurry.  What she does do that's very cute is talk about the dip in a little sing-song voice by saying, "dip-a-dip-a-dip" and then calmly dipping her fry or chicken or what-not into the dip.

Fitness Update:  Didn't make it to the gym this morning due to a headache, but I made it to the fitness room with Uncle Jonathan this afternoon.  The fitness room wall is lined with mirrors.  I'm not sure if it's a good thing that you can see how much you're struggling or sweating or looking foolish as you try to exercise.

Someone Once Said:  The notion that a boy becomes a man only on a certain birthday is mere legal fiction.